Research/Laboratory Assistant Duties and Responsibilities

Assists
researchers in performing a variety of routine or repetitive
technical duties in a laboratory and/or on a research project.
Incumbents draw largely upon their practical knowledge and
experience derived from trial and error work.

Distinguishing Characteristics:

This is
third in a series of seven classifications and is distinguished from
the Research/Laboratory Aide in that incumbents spend the majority
of their time, if not all of it, performing technical duties while
the Research/Laboratory Aide spends at least half their time in
glass washing and non-technical duties. At this level, a thorough
knowledge of theory is not required. Incumbents may be assigned to
one of various types of research areas such as social or physical
sciences or other specialized research fields. Incumbents may be
required to travel to remote locations to perform research
experiments and may be required to work with potentially hazardous
materials such as toxic chemicals, radiation and/or disease causing
organisms.

Assists in performing surgeries and dissections on animals,
which includes setting up equipment and supplies, preparing
animals for surgery, anesthetizing and monitoring heart rate of
animal, and harvesting tissue samples and readily accessible
organs.